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Would like some advice from a Warre beek

Hey Guys,

I'm using Langstroth hives, but I'm trying to cycle my deep hive bodies out for mediums, so I've adopted Nadiring to accomplish this. Do I follow the same rule of thumb, one box at a time and add a new one when thats 80% filled with comb. Do I drop a few frames down to encourage them to build in the new box?

Re: Would like some advice from a Warre beek

Most just nadir two boxes in the spring. Nadiring wont cause a lot of stress on the brood nest. Nadiring of course has its downfalls. The bees may not move very fast down into another box below. That of course is part of the point of nadiring as empty space above is stressful and bees will work to fill that space faster. You can seed the box with some comb if you like. Lang boxes are also larger than warre boxes. So you may want to just add one.

Re: Would like some advice from a Warre beek

Bonnie,
I keep bees in Warres, Top Bars and Langs and have cycled deep boxes out for mediums with my Langs. The easiest way I found was to go in the reverse of nadiring. In other words, taking the boxes out of the bottom and add new ones to the top. Example- You have a hive with 2 deeps and a medium on top, no queen excluders. Going into Fall the top medium box usually has honey, just leave it on. In the spring the cluster usually will have moved up from the lowest deep box into the uppermost deep and the medium. I time this following step to a warm spring day during the dandelion bloom. Remove the lowest deep, which will nearly always be empty and add another medium box on top. The stack should now be 1 deep box and 2 mediums. Keep adding mediums as the bees fill them. Do the same thing next spring and the whole stack is now mediums. I know it sounds like a long process, but it works and I learned a long time ago to just relax and let the bees do most the work, that is when they are at the best. You can "bait" the bees to move up into new mediums by switching a couple of frames up into it from the next box down.

Re: Would like some advice from a Warre beek

Ernie, this method sounds easier than adding boxes down below and I don't mind the process taking a couple seasons, it sound like I may have missed my window of opportunity to begin this season. I have already got two mediums under my deep, 1 filled with comb and another I just added, I'm going to inspect this weekend and see whats going on, I'll jump back on the thread and let you know what I have, maybe I can fix things if the brood is still in the deep, if she's moved down already I may have to stay the course I'm already on. Thanks will keep you posted

Re: Would like some advice from a Warre beek

Originally Posted by Bonnie Botkins

I'm using Langstroth hives...

...Well, might as well stop right there. If you haven't actually readBeekeeping for All a time or two, and internalized what Warré had to say about large, beespaced-frame boxes, you might not realize that proceeding with managing Langs as Warrés is probably pointless and likely to lead to frustration if not failure. The gist is that you can't really separate Warré-style management from Warré hives.

I'd suggest you drop by the warrebeekeeping UK forum at yahoo to pick up more relevant tips concerning the advisability of the course you're contemplating. Or, you can read my book .